Riding a bike for the first time this Saturday.. advice?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Deleted member 40275
  • Start date Start date
Forum Sponsor
Thanks to all the great advice on here - A few people offered to come down to meet me but unfortunately some last minute stuff came up so I couldn't meet them at noon. However... I did still take the bike out myself after I finished what I had to do. I have no patience.

It was pretty amazing.. I got a feel for the clutch and brakes right off the bat and had no problems starting and stopping, never stalled it, never dropped it. The bike is so forgiving its ridiculous and I can officially say I rode a bike for the first time today. I didn't do it in a parking lot but skipped that step and just went around my block 15-20 times. There were a bunch of people here telling me that I would be banging through gears and breaking the law in no time... and to be honest at first I laughed at that and said yeah right... not going to lie.. I did break the law a little bit and had an amazing time doing so. This little thing is definitely not what I would call slow and I know it's going to be a great season for me.

Thanks to all the PM's and offers to help. I could really still use LOTS of help on such things as proper foot positioning (I kept missing the god damn levers.. and forgot all about the rear brake completely).. also I'm not sure where my *** should be (I was pressed against the tank on the forward part of the seat but don't know if you're supposed to be in the middle or towards the rear with your tailbone on the single seat cowl... but more than anything I realized that about 95% of the focus was on the bike and I need to build up confidence in situational awareness a LOT more before I go play in traffic.

On the good note - I found myself leaning into the corners and looking through the turn and far ahead without target fixating. I also developed very good clutch control and practiced hard braking from 3rd gear successfully.

I know I ran a bit before I started walking - but I've been a racing enthusiast my whole life - followed all forms of motorsports and participated in many auto trackdays.. I also watched TOTW and a hundred other films (including Closer To The Edge - wow what a movie!) and spent tons of time doing my research and studying up on it. This is likely why I had an easier time for my first time out rather than spending a week in a parking lot practicing walking the bike and developing clutch control. To other first timers I really strongly recommend that you check yourself before you wreck yourself because things can still go horribly wrong - what I did wasn't necessarily smart but hey. I wore all my gear and respected the bike.. can't wait to "respect" it again next time.
 
e90 said:
Thanks to all the PM's and offers to help. I could really still use LOTS of help on such things as proper foot positioning (I kept missing the god damn levers.. and forgot all about the rear brake completely).. also I'm not sure where my *** should be (I was pressed against the tank on the forward part of the seat but don't know if you're supposed to be in the middle or towards the rear with your tailbone on the single seat cowl... but more than anything I realized that about 95% of the focus was on the bike and I need to build up confidence in situational awareness a LOT more before I go play in traffic.

On the good note - I found myself leaning into the corners and looking through the turn and far ahead without target fixating. I also developed very good clutch control and practiced hard braking from 3rd gear successfully.

I know I ran a bit before I started walking - but I've been a racing enthusiast my whole life - followed all forms of motorsports and participated in many auto trackdays.. I also watched TOTW and a hundred other films (including Closer To The Edge - wow what a movie!) and spent tons of time doing my research and studying up on it. This is likely why I had an easier time for my first time out rather than spending a week in a parking lot practicing walking the bike and developing clutch control. To other first timers I really strongly recommend that you check yourself before you wreck yourself because things can still go horribly wrong - what I did wasn't necessarily smart but hey. I wore all my gear and respected the bike.. can't wait to "respect" it again next time.
Click to expand...

Foot positioning is all seat time, just be glad you're not starting on an SS lol. Going from an SV to the Daytona I have the same problem cause the bike is SO agressive.

Sit wherever's comfortable and you feel most in control. You *should* be seated with your *** on the wide part of the seat, with the balls of your feet on the pegs, gives you best control imo.

Cockiness will happen, especially when you start on a smaller bike. Just remember to keep your head on a swivel in traffic and keep working on awareness. Research and theory will tell you what to do, but seat time will make sure you do it.
 
Nice! I had a blast today too. It was a bit too sandy for me to want to try emergency braking and quick turns (plus my tires aren't the greatest), but I did a good 30km at various speed limits. Developed some solid clutch control (at least, I think, for a beginner) and got rid of jerky shifting. Unlike you, however, I stalled the bike...countless times, but once I got it, I got it good.

I also learned that it's really difficult to judge speed without external reference (traffic) on a new vehicle; sometimes I'd think I was going 80 when I was only at 60.

All in all, I had such a great time, I couldn't stop smiling or thinking about it, it's like the first time you go on a roller coaster. Best. Day. Ever.
 
drumstyx said:
I also learned that it's really difficult to judge speed without external reference (traffic) on a new vehicle; sometimes I'd think I was going 80 when I was only at 60.
Click to expand...

Wait until you've been riding a few months...you'll think you're going 60 when you're going 90 lol.
 
The other dilemma I'm facing is regarding my throttle control. I wear a size small A* glove and I find the stock levers a bit of a reach.

Is it best to just 2 finger hover the front brake at all times or to full fist the throttle for maximum TC and then pop your fingers out when needed?

I can't seem to comfortably ride with the 2 fingers covering the brake at all times and I feel I don't have adequate TC (jerky throttle response, poor control, poor brake control and fatigue).

However if I full fist the throttle, it gives me great throttle control but slows my braking reaction time considerably.

I want to practice and get used to the most effective "best-practice" way of holding the controls.

Might be considering some adjustable shorty levers very soon as well.
 
Personally I don't cover the brake at all times, but I do put my 2 fingers over the lever when around intersections, cars pulling out, pedestrians, etc -- essentially when you think you might have to brake suddenly for some reason. I also have smaller hands (wear small or medium gloves) and found my stock levers on the CBR250RA a slight reach, so I bought aftermarket adjustable levers. Honestly I'd have to say they are probably the best 'mod' I bought yet, and would even put them above my frame sliders.
 
Same principle as covering the brake in a car imo, there's no way to comfortably maintain control if you're covering the front brake at all times. If you have small hands adjustable levers will be your friend.
 
At RTI the teach you not to cover the break. It's a bad habit when learning because there is a bigger chance of a doing an accidental panic break.

Like others when I am doing slow manoeuvres or intersections with traffic and pedestrians I do the two finger cover. After time you will get the hang of using the throttle and break with two fingers on each when needed.
 
sometimes it's better to steer away, rather than brake.
If you don't have control of the bike, breaking won't help.

Keep your hands on the grips, and don't hover over the breaks.

What you want to practice is rolling off the throttle while reaching for the break lever, then curl your fingers around the break lever and make a fist. - don't pull the breaks.


For seat position... i find in the middle of the seat is best for bumps, and i use all the way back for tucking. (I find I'm a lot "lighter on the bars" in a tuck) I never sit all the way forward.
Squeeze with your knees to keep your seat position, and to keep weight off the bars
 
Last edited:
Like others have said, you will learn the most at your RTI course. They cover the very basics from just walking the bike; to how to sit on your bike at an intersection/stopped or to actually ride a motorcycle.
 
No offense and no harm meant but have you dropped the bike yet? I think it happened to a large majority of us. My girl friend told me she dropped her bike thrice at RTI and that she had gotten the drop out of her. The day we were going to get her plate a sticker (she had a temp sticker), she called me and said "I dropped by bike on the first left turn from my house" lol

Long story short: GET FRAMESLIDERS! They'll save you a bit of $$$ and sometimes save your fairings, but note that they're called FRAME sliders lol
 
油井緋色;1967243 said:
No offense and no harm meant but have you dropped the bike yet? I think it happened to a large majority of us. My girl friend told me she dropped her bike thrice at RTI and that she had gotten the drop out of her. The day we were going to get her plate a sticker (she had a temp sticker), she called me and said "I dropped by bike on the first left turn from my house" lol

Long story short: GET FRAMESLIDERS! They'll save you a bit of $$$ and sometimes save your fairings, but note that they're called FRAME sliders lol
Click to expand...

No I haven't dropped it - I feel very comfortable on it actually. Regardless, I think I shouldn't be put into the same boat as your girlfriend. The fact that shes already dropped the bike FOUR times in total and THRICE at RTI is pretty alarming to me.

Will eventually get frame sliders though. On my to-do list.
 
wanted to just give my input on this topic as im a new rider too. got my bike in mid February and basically everyday with temps around or over 3 i was just riding around my area (barely any traffic). one of my Friend have been riding for over a year now and he did the course so he basically taught me how to ride it in my driveway. so just clutch control and braking up my uphill driveway. did that for an hour and the next day drove in a straight line down my road (probably only got to 3rd gear as i was practicing shifting). after that day i started to take turns and regular shifting. then he got on his bike and me on mine and basically followed me to see if i got any issues to fix up. so all in all i think i drove about 150km since i bought it just going around my area. if the weather is as good as they say it is for next week ill be taking it to school, using side streets of course instead of the highway!

PS: i started on a ninja 650r, after reading a lot of reviews on it learned that if u dont rev like a retard then u should be ok.
 
Heres what i found helps with the basics. Eyes forward at all times at the direction your going (of course other that looking for safety reasons). Trust your peripheral vision and feeling for what the bike is doing. This is the key to balance especially at low speed cornering as you'll be more balanced and smoother with your movements. As well, the quicker you trust your instincts the quicker you be riding instinctually and you can just enjoy the show or at least know where all the taxis are.
 
If you need company let me know if m free will help out.. Where about are u in sauga

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2
 
e90 said:
No I haven't dropped it - I feel very comfortable on it actually. Regardless, I think I shouldn't be put into the same boat as your girlfriend. The fact that shes already dropped the bike FOUR times in total and THRICE at RTI is pretty alarming to me.

Will eventually get frame sliders though. On my to-do list.
Click to expand...

lol

If at first you don't succeed, motorcycles are probably not for you. ;)
 
Take the easiest, least congested & unproblematic routes possible. Don't ride in unfamiliar places or haphazardly around - know exactly where you're going/plan & stick to your route. Don't forget to put up or down the kickstand when appropriate.
 
Last edited:
油井緋色;1967243 said:
My girl friend told me she dropped her bike thrice at RTI lol
Click to expand...

The moment I saw this, I thought... Asian... Girl... Short... Can't reach the floor... GG.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom